Live Updates: Alabama Crimson Tide at Missouri Tigers
Minus the lack of fans, conditions are just about ideal.
The temperature was 81 degrees at kickoff, and dropping. Wind was 10 mph.
Alex Moore's crew is officiating the game (Moore was a sideline judge last season so the guess here is he got promoted).
Alabama at Missouri Fourth Quarter
• On third-and-4 Bryce Young hits DeVonta Smith on an out route for a 23-yard gain. Brian Robinson Jr. and Trey Sanders were more in the mix on this drive as the Crimson Tide gets into the red zone. But then it goes backward. On third-and-19 Young was sacked and fumbled off a stunt. Missouri recovers.
• Busted play, no one picks up running back Tyler Badie out of the backfield on the wheel route (think it was Drew Sanders' responsibility and then no one in the secondary helped) and it's a 54-yard touchdown. Scoring Drive: 2 plays, 57 yards, 0:35, Alabama 35, Missouri 13
• Evan Neal back in the game for Alabama, but at left tackle. Most of the first-team linemen and receivers are still in the game so they get familiar playing with Young. The drive stalled, Alabama punted and the return was muffed with Daniel Wright recovering. Alabama ball at the Missouri 18.
• Chris Owens in at center. Alabama doesn't do much and Reichard kicks a 34-yard field goal. Scoring Drive: 4 plays, 2 yards, 1:31. Alabama 38, Missouri 13
• Bazelak back in the game as both coaches are down to getting some guys some experience. He runs in a touchdown on the final play of the game. Scoring drive: 14 Plays, 75 yards, 2:05 used Alabama 38, Missouri 19
• Announced attendance: 11,738
Alabama at Missouri Third Quarter
• ... and we're back. Missouri gets the ball first in the second half.
• Freshman linebacker Will Anderson Jr. forces a bad pitch, Patrick Surtain II recovers at the Missouri 37.
• Halftime score: Texas A&M 7, Missouri 5. Alabama hosts the Aggies next week.
• Najee Harris reaches the end zone on second effort, scores 8-yard touchdown. Scoring Drive: 5 plays, 37 yards, 2:07 Alabama 35, Missouri 3.
• Harris has three rushing touchdowns, which ties his career high.
• Kicker Will Reichard got drilled on the extra point. Missouri flagged 15 yards, which will count on the kickoff. Of course it was a touchback.
• Freshman quarterback Bryce Young warming up.
• Missouri has a long drive, but can't reach the end zone and after a 16-yard sack by LaBryan Ray has to settle for a 37-yard field goal. Scoring Drive: 18 plays, 55 yards, 8:36, Alabama 35, Missouri 6
• Bryce Young making his debut. Looks like he'll get a series with the starting offensive line. Mac Jones: 18-for-24, 249 yards and two touchdowns, 189.7 passer rating. No turnovers.
• Sophomore Evan Neal down. Gets checked and limps off, Kendall Randolph in at right tackle.
• Next play is a bad snap and somehow Young got the ball off to DeVonta Smith for a 6-yard gain. That's his first career completion.
Alabama at Missouri Halftime Notes
From Alabama sports information:
• The Crimson Tide had seven student-athletes make their first career start vs. Missouri, including two on offense, three on defense and two specialists. Getting the nod on offense were Emil Ekiyor Jr. and Carl Tucker. The first-time starters on defense included Will Anderson Jr., Malachi Moore and Daniel Wright. Rounding out the group on special teams were placekicker Chase Allen and punter Sam Johnson.
• FIRST TIME PLAYERS: Alabama had 10 players make their first career appearance for the Crimson Tide in the first half of tonight’s game. The group includes freshmen Chase Allen, Will Anderson Jr., Sam Johnson, Jase McClellan, Malachi Moore, Drew Sanders, Trey Sanders and Roydell Williams along with seniors Joshua Lanier and Carl Tucker.
• TACKLES FOR LOSS: Alabama’s defense recorded 5.0 tackles for loss in the first half of tonight’s game. The Crimson Tide’s high for tackles for loss in a full game last season was 7.0 which occurred seven times, most recently against Western Carolina on Nov. 23.
• WADDLE’S BIG HALF: Jaylen Waddle finished the first half with 121 yards and two touchdowns on seven catches. Waddle’s seven catches are a new career-high total, surpassing his previous mark of six which he had against The Citadel in 2018. His 100-plus yard performance is Alabama’s first since Jerry Jeudy totaled 204 yards against Michigan in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl. The junior’s career-high total for receiving yards is 138.
Alabama at Missouri Second Quarter
• First play of second quarterback, Jaylen Waddle 17-yard gain. Play-action, no one picks up Waddle coming around. Quick flare pass and he hit the pylon, but had just pulled the ball back so no touchdown (per review). Najee Harris scores on next play. Scoring Drive: 8 plays, 91 yards, 2:16, Alabama 21, Missouri 0
• Missouri brings in Connor Bazelak at quarterback. Shawn Robinson had started, was 3-for-7 for 36 yards. Missouri went three-and-out.
• Alabama's already rotating players on special teams. Think we're going to see a lot of that the rest of the way.
• Crimson Tide's possession goes nowhere. Sam Johnson punt goes 39 yards with DeVonta Smith making the tackle.
• Robinson is back in and Missouri goes after the secondary. Finally has a drive going and aided by some sloppy tackling reaches the red zone, but then has to settle for a 27-yard field goal. Scoring Drive: 12 plays, 50 yards, 4:30. Alabama 21, Missouri 3
• Alabama drives again. Brian Robinson Jr. dropped an easy touchdown pass. Next play Waddle catches 23-yard touchdown in double, if not triple coverage, but then lands hard when runs on the black track that circles the outer rim of the stadium. He heads off, but that had to hurt. Drive Summary: 10 Plays, 75 yards, 4:22 used. Alabama 28, Missouri 3.
• Waddle already has seven receptions, 121 yards and two touchdowns. He's been targeted eight times.
Alabama at Missouri First Quarter
• Missouri wins the toss and elects to defer to the second half. Alabama getting the ball. DeVonta Smith deep along with Jaylen Waddle.
• Alabama went three-and-out on first series. Two incompletions over the middle as the Crimson Tide went after the safeties.
• Christian Harris with a sack to end Missouri's first possession. Alabama's speed and pursuit looked really good. True freshmen Will Anderson and Malachi Moore started.
• Starting cornerback Jarvis Ware down for Missouri, and he's in some pain.
• Najee Harris scores the first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run. 7:46 to go in first quarter. That's his eighth straight game with a touchdown. Scoring Drive: 12 plays, 66 yards, 4:47. Alabama 7, Missouri 0
• Waddle is on the kick-coverage unit. Well, I keep saying Coach Banks loves speed on all unit. Will Reichard boots the kickoff for a touchback.
• Missouri needs just two plays to cross midfield. Looks like the Tigers are going after Moore. A false start and a busted screen slow the drive and Missouri calls time out on 4th-and-2 and goes for it at the 33. Stuffed. Moses with the open-field tackle on the option-pitch.
• On first down, bomb to Jaylen Waddle, who made a leaping catch for a 46-yard gain, but took a pretty hard hit. Alabama back in the red zone. Waddle with an 18-yard touchdown on third down. Scoring Drive: 4 plays, 66 yards, 1:13. Alabama 14, Missouri 0.
• FINAL: Mississippi State 44, LSU 34.
• True freshman Drew Sanders called for a late hit on the kickoff. He was coming to the defense of a teammate taking a late hit, but it cost 15 yards.
• Dylan Moses with a nice sack. Alabama blitzed and flushed the quarterback and he made the great play. However, it was nullified by a defensive holding penalty. Moses looks great so far, though.
• Alabama's possession starts at its own 9. Najee Harris for 8 and then 18, nearly broke it. Nice conversion in third-and-12 to Metchie on an in route. Quarter ends with a 34-yard pass to Miller Forristall with Alabama back in the red zone at the 11.
• Total yards: Alabama 218-40 edge.
Alabama at Missouri Pregame
Warmups begin an hour before kickoff. Our own Joey Blackwell and Tyler Martin will be providing updates from the press box.
• Alabama's game captains: Dylan Moses, Landon Dickerson and DeVonta Smith
• Kickoff pushed back to 6:10 p.m.
Alabama at Missouri Warmups
- Walk-on freshman Sam Johnson is the punter who traveled this week with the Crimson Tide. Him, along with long snapper Thomas Fletcher, have taken the field.
- Quarterback Mac Jones is now taking his first warmup throws of the evening. Kicker Will Reichard has joined the special teams unit and just hit a field goal from 45 yards out.
- Running back Trey Sanders will wear No. 24 instead of No. 26 this evening.
- Defensive tackle Christian Barmore did indeed make the trip and is wearing a knee brace. He will be apart of the second-team defense.
- The starting offense line will be as follows, from left to right, tackle Alex Leatherwood, left guard Deonte Brown, center Landon Dickerson, right guard Emil Ekiyor, and right tackle Evan Neal.
- Freshman safety Malachi Moore appears slated to start at the Star position.
Alabama at Missouri Preview
It's been a long year.
Since Alabama last played a football game, at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, a lot has happened, including the delayed start to the college football season and the Southeastern Conference going with a 10-game league-only schedule.
Although it seemed a lot longer, it's:
- 23,241,600 seconds
- 387,360 minutes
- 6456 hours
- 38 weeks and 3 days
- 73.50% of 2020
Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN (Play-By-Play: Sean McDonough, Analyst: Todd Blackledge, Analyst: Allison Williams)
Radio: Crimson TIde Sports Network (Play-By-Play: Eli Gold, Analyst: John Parker Wilson, Sideline: Rashad Johnson) CTSN on Sirius/XM: 81/81
Online: ESPN+
What's new with Missouri: Everything. It's the first game of the Eliah Drinkwitz era. The former Auburn quarterback coach (2010-11) led Appalachian State to a 12-1 finish and No. 19 final ranking in the AP Top 25 poll.
Alabama's streak against unranked opponents: With its 66-3 win against Western Carolina on Nov. 23, 2019, Alabama has defeated 91 consecutive unranked teams under Nick Saban, the longest streak in FBS history. The current streak began with a win over Colorado on December 30, 2007 in the Independence Bowl. The previous record was 72 games, shared by Miami (Fla.) (1984-95) and Florida (1989-2000). BamaCentral will have continual updates throughout the game.
Report: Alabama Assistant Coach To Miss Game
Yahoo Sports reported Saturday afternoon that Alabama safeties coach Charles Kelly will not be at the game, but no reason was given.
Missouri defensive backs coach Charlie Harbison, a former Crimson Tide assistant coach until Mike Saban, will also miss the game.
